Improvement in machines for cutting printers  leads



w. HAWKINS & wfr. noose.

Machine for CuttingPrinters Leads.

Patented June 1, 1875.

THE GRAPHIC CD.PHOTO -L|TH39 E41 PARK PLAGLNY- UNITED STATES PATENTOFFIcn.

WILLIAM HAWKINS AND WILLIAM F. DODGE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING PRINTERS LEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 163,998, dated June 1,1875 application filed June 30, 1873.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WILLIAM HAWKINS andWILLIAM FosrER DODGE, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hand-Machines forCutting Printers Leads, and we do hereby declare that the following is afull and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of our invention is the construction of a machine for cuttingprinters leads, principally of cast-iron, with such a configu ration ofparts as will permit all the immovable portions to be finished byordinary machinery, and which shall combine cheapness, simplicity, andstrength with rapidity and certainty in operation; and the noveltytherein consists, first, in the peculiar construction of the standardwhich carries the knife; and, second, in the machine as a whole.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to construct and operate ourmachine, we proceed to describe the same, calling attention to thedrawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation, partly in perspective,of our machine; Fig. 2, a front elevation with the face-plate removed,and Fig. 3 a vertical central section of the standard and its apparatus.

Like letters denote similar parts in each figure.

The main or supporting part of our device consists in a narrow table, A,of proper size, supported on suitable legs B, cast in one piece. Thelegs have screw-holes a, by which the machine may be fastened bywood-screws to a bench or other convenient object. Upon one side thetable is cut away alittle, so as to leave a shoulder or ledge, 1),running its entire length. Resting upon this shoulder, and extendingalong it, is a gage, 0, having a longitudinal slot, 0, and held in anydesired position by a set-screw, D, which passes through the slot intothe side of the table. This gage has also a head, d, turned at rightangles across the front end of the table, and rising sufficiently abovethe top e thereof to afford a rest for the end of a lead pressed againstit. The top of the table is cut away, so as to leave a shoulder orledge, f, on one side of it, running its whole length; and upon thistop, and resting against said shoulder f, is placed a short gage, E,secured in position by a setscrew, F, working in a slot in said gage,and fitting into any one of a series of holes, 9, in the top of thetable. It will be observed that our construction of the table, andindeed of all parts of our machine, is such that all the surfaces whichare required to be smooth and in accurate planes may be worked byordinary machinery, and no hand-work is required upon any portion,except in putting the parts together. The front end of the table is alsocut away, leaving a shoulder or ledge, h, Fig. 3; and resting upon thesame is secured the stationary knife G, having a shoulder, i, Fig. 2,corresponding with the shoulder f, before described, fastened by asingle screw, and prevented from turning out of place in use by theshoulder h, before named, and by being at one end recessed into thestandard E. This standard, which is a single casting, is cut away uponthe inside near the bottom, leaving a shoulder, j, which rests upon theshoulder f, and is secured to the side of the table at its front end byscrews. This standard has a lateral wing, J, extending across the widthof the table, containing on its face a semi-cylindrical chamber, K,intended to receive a spiral spring, L. A face-plate, M, being a castingof the same shape and size as the face of the wing, and having recessesk at top and bottom, in which to allow the play of the knife N, issecured to the face of the wing by screws. This knife has upon one ofits sides a stud, l, of a size and shape corresponding with the chamberK, which, in use, fits into and traverses in said chamber above thespring. The knife has a wooden handle, m, suitable to be struck bythe'hand, and a beveled edge, a, so as to cut with a drawing out towardthe standard side of the machine.

In operation, the leads are held upon the top of the table, restingagainst the shoulder f, with one end pressed against the end of the gageE, and are cut, with a single blow of the hand, to the desired oruniform length. For cutting very short lengths, the gage O is used, asin cutting up old leads for spaces.

The advantages of our machine in operation,

in ready removal of the knives, and in other particulars, will be atonce comprehended.

Having thus described our machine, what we claim as new therein, and ourinvention, 1s

1. In a printers lead-cutter, a standard for carrying the knife,composed of the part H, adapted to be secured to the side of the table,awing, J, turned transversely across and over the table, having a recessadapted to receive a spring and a removable face-plate, M, substantiallyas described and shown.

2. The printers lead-cutter, substantially as described, wherein aknife, composed of a single piece, to. which a-striking-handle issecured, and reciprocating between a win g-standard and a removableface-plate, and a table having a side ledge, adapted to hold and guide agage, are all constructed, combined, and arranged to operatesubstantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 23d day of June, 1873.

WILLIAM HAWKINS.

WM. FOSTER DODGE.

Witnesses:

H. F. BALDWIN, JOHN H. BALDWIN.

